NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Monday, June 1, 2009
INCIDENTS
Grand Canyon NP
Search For Missing Hiker Scaled Back
On Tuesday, May 26th, the park was notified that 69-year-old R.W. of Surprise, Arizona, had not returned from a Memorial Day weekend trip and that his holiday plans had included hiking in Grand Canyon. On Wednesday, R.W.'s car was found in the park, indicating that he might still be in the Grand Canyon backcountry. With no backcountry permit or known itinerary to work from, rangers began searching a broad area from Hermit Basin, located west of Grand Canyon Village, to the South Kaibab area east of the village. The trails throughout this area could easily be accessed on foot or via shuttle from the point where R.W.'s car was found. On Friday, rangers were able to narrow their search to the Hermit Basin area based on information received after issuing a public request for assistance from anyone who had hiked in the park's backcountry during the Memorial Day weekend. An extensive search by helicopter observers, ground searchers, and a dog team has so far yielded no additional clues as to R.W.'s whereabouts. A decision was therefore made on Saturday to begin scaling back search operations. This decision was based on the totality of circumstances, including the rugged and steep terrain, the length of time that R.W. has been missing (he was last seen on Saturday, May 23rd), and the number of hikers and searchers who have passed through the area without finding any indications as to R.W.'s whereabouts. Rangers will continue to use dogs and search on foot on a limited basis to examine cliff areas where a fall might have occurred. The park appreciates the assistance provided by local and national media in reaching out to the public for information about R.W.'s activities in the park. L.C., R.W.'s daughter and the family's spokesperson, had this to say: “My family and I want to thank those people who saw the initial news release about the search for my father and took the time to call in and share some very helpful information.” [Shannan Marcak, Public Affairs Specialist]
Great Smoky Mountains NP
Penn State Student Drowns At Abrams Falls
The Blount County Sheriff's Office received a broken cell phone call on the evening of Sunday, May 24th, reporting that a visitor had possibly drowned at Abrams Falls in the Cades Cove area of the park. Supervisory ranger/medic Steve Spanyer drove to the trailhead from the ranger station, then hiked the two-and-a-half miles to the falls, arriving at 8:30 p.m. He found that N.Z.N. had been underwater and missing for more than 90 minutes. N.Z.N. was with a group of 35 Penn State University students, all of them from Malaysia and members of the Malaysian Society at Penn State (this was not a school-sponsored trip, though). After arriving at the falls, many members of the group decided to go swimming. N.Z.N. and two others began walking in the water towards the falls. As N.Z.N. approached the falls, the water became deeper and the current began to pull him under. Members of the group saw that N.Z.N. was struggling and waving for help. One member of the group tried to rescue him, but was unable to do so and had to be pulled from the water. Due to the amount of time that N.Z.N. had been underwater and the fact that it was becoming dark, a decision was made to begin the search for him at first light the next day. Rangers Kent Looney and Trey Kelly remained at the falls all night. The Blount County dive team and rangers returned to the falls at 7 a.m. on May 25th. Divers found N.Z.N.'s body early that afternoon in the general area where he was seen being pulled under. Ranger Helen McNutt was IC. [Steve Kloster, Tennessee District Ranger]
Whiskeytown NRA
One Killed, One Seriously Injured In Two-Vehicle Accident
On Friday, May 22nd, rangers Leigh Guenther, Mike Doll, Gary Bias and EMT Carol Jandrall responded to a two-vehicle accident with a reported fatality on State Highway 299 west near the Whiskeytown visitor center. The driver of one of the vehicles, E.J. of Redding, received fatal injuries after she turned around to drive east on the highway and was struck by a Jeep Wrangler traveling westbound. Her passenger, S.K. of Redding, received major injuries and was transported to a local hospital, were she was initially in intensive care. The male driver of the Jeep received minor injuries and was transported to the hospital for an evaluation. The collision closed the highway for approximately 45 minutes for a helicopter landing to evacuate S.K. The incident was managed under ICS, with additional response by firefighters from Old Shasta Station 56, French Gulch Station 59, Cal Fire Station 58, paramedics from two local hospitals, and officers from the California Highway Patrol. [Jim Richardson, Chief Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS:
National Hurricane Center - Today is the first day of hurricane season. NOAA forecasters are predicting a 50 percent probability of a near-normal season, with four to seven hurricanes - one to three of them major.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7749" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7749
Upper Delaware S&RR - After 32 years with the National Park Service, Alan Henry, chief ranger at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, has announced his retirement, effective June 1st.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2365" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2365
Intermountain Region - Pablo Garza, maintenance mechanic supervisor at Grand Canyon National Park, receives the 2008 Franklin G. Smith Award - Intermountain Region's highest honor for promoting diversity in the NPS workforce.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2364" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2364
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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).
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